Business Directories

Dubai Duty Free nets $698m H1 sales

Dubai, July 3, 2011

Dubai Duty Free (DDF) has retained its position as the largest single airport retail operation in the world in terms of turnover with a 16.6 per cent increase in half yearly sales which soared to $698 million.

The top three selling categories continued to be perfumes, liquor and gold with perfume sales increasing by 20 per cent to reach $99 million for the first half of the year and gold sales up by 24 per cent to top $79 million, said a DDF statement.

Sales of electronic goods shot up by 22 per cent to reach $54 million while watch sales rose by an impressive 41 per cent to touch $47 million, it added.

Commenting on the half year figures, Colm McLoughlin, DDF managing director said: 'We are extremely pleased that 2011 has shaped up to be such a positive year for the operation. We have seen consumer spending increase across most categories with significant spikes in luxury sector products.'

'We have also seen significant increases in sales across all three Terminals for both departing and arriving passengers, all of which is encouraging for the year-end figures,' he remarked.

According to him, the spending trends across all three Terminals continued to increase with duty free sales in Terminal 2, increasing by 31 per cent for the first half.

Sales in Terminals 1 and 3 rose by 15 per cent and 16 per cent respectively while overall Arrival sales rose by 16 per cent, he noted.

The positive sales figures coincide with the news that, for the third consecutive year, DDF has retained its position as the largest single airport retail operation in the world in terms of turnover, which in 2010 was $1.27 billion.

Based on analysis by independent industry experts, Generation Research, the announcement places Dubai Duty Free ahead of Seoul Incheon Airport and London Heathrow, both of which also recorded sales in excess of $1 billion.

Commenting on the news, McLoughlin said, “We are obviously delighted to retain the No.1 spot for the third consecutive year. In acknowledging this achievement I would like to thank DDF chairman and president of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, for his ongoing support.'

'Also, a big congratulations to all of our 4,000 employees who do a fantastic job and thanks to our customers for keeping us at the top,' he added.

In 2010 global duty free and travel retail sales, which include airports, airlines, ferries and other shops, reached $39 billion up from $34.5 billion in 2009.

The Middle East accounts for 7.4 per cent of the overall duty free sales with DDF accounting for 5.4 per cent of airport shop sales and 3.2 per cent of the wider duty free and travel retail global business.-TradeArabia News Service